BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, PILANI

HYDERBAD CAMPUS
First Semester 2016-17
TEST 1 (CLOSED BOOK)

Course No: CE F214 Course Name: Construction Materials

Date: 08.09.2016 Maximum Marks: 30
Max Duration: 60 Min. Component Weightage: 15%
Note: 1. Answer all the questions
2. Non programmable scientific calculators are allowed
3. Use of Mobiles / electronic gadgets is strictly prohibited
4. Each question in Part I carries 1 mark and -0.5 (negative marking) for the wrong answers

PART I

Answer all the questions. Each question carries 1 mark [10 x 1 = 10]

1. Excess of silica makes brick

a. Brittle on burning
b. To melt on burning
c. To crack on burning
d. To warp on burning

2. A good brick when immersed in water bath for 24 hours, should not absorb water more than
a. 10 % of its dry weight
b. 15 % of its dry weight
c. 20 % of its dry weight
d. 25 % of its dry weight

3. Which of the following mortars is most suitable for construction work in water logged areas?
a. Lime mortar
b. Gauged mortar
c. Cement mortar
d. Mud mortar

4. Which is the most preferred pointing profile for good resistance against rain?
a. V shaped
b. Flush
c. Concave
d. Raked

5. The compressive strength of cement grout as per specification is in the range of

a. 5-12 MPa
b. 10-17 MPa
c. 17-22 MPa
d. 20-27 MPa

6. In brick works 30% (20 % or 30 %) is assumed as mortar

7. To produce low heat cements, it is necessary to reduce the compound

a. C3S
b. C2S
c. C3A
d. C4AF

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 8. The bound water (by weight) % required for complete hydration of cement is about
a. 15
b. 23
c. 38
d. 40

9. For marine works, the best suited cement is

a. Low Heat Portland Cement
b. Rapid Hardening Cement
c. Ordinary Portland Cement
d. Blast Furnace Slag Cement

10. The best application of puzzolana in cement concrete is in

a. Bridges
b. Dams
c. Domes
d. RCC slabs

PART II
This part contains 2 marks [5 x 2 = 10]

1. Calculate the bulk specific gravity of the aggregates from a pycnometer test for the data
given below: (assume specific gravity of water as 1)
W eight of dry aggregate sample: 632 g
Weight of saturated surface dry aggregate sample: 654 g
Weight of saturated surface dry aggregate sample + water = 918 g
Weight of water in the pycnometer = 500 gm (500 ml)

Bulk Specific Gravity = 632/(654+500-918)

= 2.678

2. What is seasoning of wood? Name four defects caused due to seasoning?

Seasoning is a process to suitably reduce the moisture content in a freshly cut
tree to increase the durability of timber.
Bow, Cup, Twist, Swing and/or Honey Comb

3. What are veneers? Name two classification of veneers?

Veneers are thin sheet of wood with the thickness in the range of 0.4 mm to 0.6 mm
obtained by different knife cutting process.
The two classification of veneers are
Rotary veneers
Cutting sliced veneers

4. Schematically represent the cement and hydration of cement.

i. Raw material for cement - limestone, clay, shale (Calcareous and Argillaceous Materials)
ii. Components - O2, Si, Ca, Al, Fe
iii. Oxide composition Cao, SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3
on burning clinker formed
iv. Compound composition C3S, C2S, C3A, C4AF
on grinding clinker
v. Portland cements various grades/types
on hydration
vi. Products of hydration C-S-H Gel+ Ca(OH)2

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 5. What is efflorescence defect in a brick? As per IS 3495 (Part III) what is the limiting
value of efflorescence for high class bricks?
Efflorescence is a defect caused because of alkalis present in the bricks. When the
bricks come in contact with moisture, water is absorbed and alkalis crystalize to form
white patches on drying.
Efflorescence has to be <10 % for high class bricks.

PART III
This part contains 10 marks [1 x 10 = 10]

1. Design a concrete mixture for M40 grade of concrete with the following data:

Type of cement: OPC 43 grade

Specific gravity of cement: 3.15
Maximum size of aggregate: 20 mm
Exposure condition: Severe (RCC)
Workability: 75 mm Slump
Minimum cement content: 320 kg/m3
Maximum water cement ratio: 0.45
Method of placing concrete: Pumping
Degree of Supervision: good
Type of aggregate: crushed angular aggregate
Sp. Gravity of coarse aggregate: 2.670
Sp. Gravity of fine aggregate: 2.670
Super plasticizer will be used
Specific gravity of super plasticizer: 1.140
Percentage of super plasticizer: 1 % by weight of cement
Reduction of water due to super plasticizer: 20 %
Water Absorption:
Coarse aggregate: 1.0 %
Fine aggregate: 1.5 %
Free Surface moisture
Coarse aggregate: Nil
Fine aggregate: Nil
Grading of coarse aggregates conforming to Table 2 of IS 383
Grading of fine aggregate conforming to grading Zone I

Find the proportioning of water cement ratio, cement content, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate contents for a batch
mixing plant of 1 m3 capacity.

Refer the relevant parts of the BIS standards provided along with this question paper.

i. Target strength for mix proportioning:

fck = fck + 1.65s
= 40+1.65*5
= 48.25 N/mm2
ii. Selection of water cement ratio
From Table 5 of IS 456, maximum water-cement ratio = 0.45
Based on experience, adopt water cement ratio of as 0.40.
0.40< 0.45, hence O.K.
Selection of water content
iii. From Table 2, maximum water content = 186 litre (for 25 to 50 mm slump range)
for 20 mm aggregate
Estimated water content for 75 mm slump = 186+(3/100* 186)
= 191.6 litre
iv. As super plasticizer is used, the water content can be reduced by 20 percent (given).
Hence, the arrived water content = 191.6*0.8 = 153.3 litre ~ 154 litre.
Water cement ratio = 0.4
Cement content = 154/0.4 = 385 kg/m3
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 v. From Table 5 of IS 456, minimum cement content for severe exposure condition = 320 kg/m 3
385 kg/m3 > 320 kg/m3 and < 450 kg/m3 hence, O.K.
vi. Proportioning of volume of coarse aggregate and fine aggregate content
From Table 3, volume of coarse aggregate corresponding to 20 mm size aggregate and fine aggregate
(Zone I) for water cement ratio of 0.50 = 0.60
vii. In the present case water cement ratio is 0.40. Therefore, volume of coarse aggregate is required to be
increased to increase the fine aggregate content. As the water cement ratio is lower by 0.10, the proportion
of volume of coarse aggregate is increased by 0.02 (at the rate of 0.01 for every 0.05 change in water
cement ratio). Therefore, the corrected proportion of volume of coarse aggregate for the water cement ratio
of 0.40 = 0.62.
viii. For pumpable concrete these values should be reduced by 10 % (given).
Therefore, volume of coarse aggregate = 0.62 * 0.9 = 0.56.
Volume of fine aggregate content = 1-0.56 = 0.44.
ix. Mix calculations
The mix calculations per unit volume of concrete shall be as follows:
a. Volume of concrete = 1 m 3
b. Volume of cement = Mass/(specific gravity of cement) * (1/100)
= (385/3.15) * (1/1000)
= 0.122 m3
c. Volume of water = Mass of water/(specific gravity of water)*(1/1000)
= 154/1*(1/1000)
= 0.154 m3
d. Volume of chemical admixture
(Super plasticizer) (@ 1.0 % by = Mass of chemical admixture/(Specific gravity of admixture)*(1/1000)
mass of cementitious material) = (3.85/1.140)*(1/1000)
= 0.0034 m3
e. Volume of all in aggregate = [1-(0.122+0.154+0.0034)]
= 0.7206 m3
f. Mass of coarse aggregate = 0.7206*0.56*2.67*1000
= 1077 kg
g. Mass of fine aggregate = 0.7206*0.44*2.67*1000
= 846 kg
x. Mix proportion for 1 m3 of concrete:
a) Cement = 385 kg/m3
b) Water = 154 kg/m3
c) Fine aggregate = 846 kg/m3
d) Coarse aggregate = 1077 kg/m3
e) Chemical admixture = 3.85 kg/m3
f) Water-cement ratio = 0.4
g) Additional water due to moisture absorption = [(846*1.5/100)+(1077*1/100)]
= 12.69+10.77
= 23.46 kg

****** BEST OF LUCK *****

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IS Specifications: Design of concrete mixture

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